Looks like he's holding a peach.

Ladies and gentlemen, if I were to ask you who the MVP of the 2010 NBA Playoffs would be heading into the Conference Finals, who would you assume?

• Kobe Bryant?  Good choice, he’s definitely in the discussion, but no.
• LeBron James?  Numbers wise, perhaps, but he won’t be getting any more numbers anytime soon now will he?
• Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade?  You kidding me –

People, the answer is RAJON RONDO.  Yes, I didn’t stutter.  Rajon Rondo.  The BEST point guard in the NBA now.  He’s moved up big-time.  Move over Deron Williams, move over Chris Paul, move over Steve Nash.  Rondo is top dog.

It’s amazing how the point guard nobody wanted two years ago is now the man in Boston.  When the Celtics won it all in 2008, Rondo’s job was to not mess up.  Now Rondo carries this team on his wide-set shoulders, and because of him, and the newly re-established defensive team prowess, the Celtics strike fear into their opponents.  If the Lakers win tonight, I can’t help but think they’ll be paying attention to Boston in their rear-view mirror, because they must know they’ll be in for a real fight.  Things ’bout to get physical real soon for them.

But back to Rondo, because he’s quickly developed into one of my favorite players in the league, if not the favorite behind Stephen Curry.  No one controls a team like Rondo, and all of a sudden he’s hitting free-throws and jump shots.  If you think about it, those two things were the only holes in his game, and it seems he’s got them plugged now.  What that means is, he’s essentially perfect on the floor.  He’s unguardable, and he’s a defensive menace, as he led the league in steals this season.

Lastly, Rondo is doing this during money time.  You create your legacy during the post-season, and right now he’s finally garnering a lot of the attention he deserves.  I was a Rondo critic, but now he’s turned me.  As Magic Johnson’s been saying during this post-season, there’s no longer a “Big Three” in Boston.  It’s now the “Big One, and the Little Three.”  The Celtics leave their future in good hands once Pierce, Garnett and Allen retire.  Very good, huge hands.